Means for mounting overhead garage doors



May 18, 1948.

W. E. WREAD MEANS FOR MOUNTING OVERHEAD GARAGE DOORS Original Filed Aug. 50, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 W/u/AM E. WEE/I0,

INVENTOR; p: ATTORNEY.

May 18, 1948. w. E. WREAD MEANS FOR MOUNTING OVERHEAD GARAGE DOORS I Original Filed Aug. 50, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 R Wm M m w 4 M M Y 4, m B 4 l 4 5 M .m f 5 m/ ..4 MM .4 /AIW 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 W. E. WREAD Original Filed Aug. I50, 1940 MEANS FOR MOUNTING OVERHEAD GARAGE DOORS I yo May 18; 1948.

Y Y B Q 0 w) 0 o 0 Z n o a L y 9 M @ATT RNEY.

May 18, 1948. w. E. WREAD 2,441,741

MEANS FOR MOUNTING OVERHEAD GARAGE nooas Original Filed Aug. 50, 1940 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 000. 0 .00000 O 0.000 OOO.

MAL/AM E. WREAD,

INVEN TOR.

Arroxe/vix Figure is a sectional view taken on irregular line 5--5 of Figure 4;

Journal means 6 includes a hub 1 provided at one end with a flange 8 which is secured to a main supporting plate or base 9 by suitable means such as the bolts ID. A main journal plate H is journaled intermediate its ends upon the hub 1 by means of a journal member I2 to the flange l3 of which the plate is secured by bolts l4. A washer i5 is connected to the hub l by means of a stud bolt I6, and serves to retain the journal member l2 on the hub 1.

Adjustably secured to one end of the main journal plate H is a pair of diverging bracket Figure 6 is a front elevational view of one side of a garage and its door opening with the door moved to open position and supported by my novel supporting means;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form of my novel pivot and supporting means constructed as a unit and shows a modified form of adjustment for the counterrbalance spring, with the parts in their position with the door closed, a portion of the garage side wall also being shown;

Figure 8 is a fragmental side elevational view on an enlarged scale andshows the means for adjusting the tension of the counter-balance spring in the embodiment of Figure 7, the parts being positioned as with the door overhead, that is, in its open position;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic showing of the eilective lever arms available to the counterbalance spring with the doorin the vertical and horizontal positions;

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic showing illustrating the variations available in lever arms for the counter-balance spring with the door in the vertical or closed position; 7

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic showingillustrating the range of lever arms available to the counter-balance spring with the door inthe horizontal open position.

The door'orclosure member A is adapted to be mounted in any conventional 'opening or doorway a, and is particularly adapted for garages or aeroplane hangars the openings in which may be either large or small. The door may, however, be used to close any opening, and although I have shown in thefdrawings a portion of a garage and door therefor, the same is illustrative only.

The doorway as shown is usually delimited by a header l and door jamb members 2. The door proper or closure member '3 is pivotally mounted to the side walls B ofthe garage or enclosure C and preferably to the studding 4 thereof immediately behind the header-l so that, when in its vertical position, its upper margin 5 is positioned adjacentto and in overlappingcontact with the inner edge of the header, as shown in Figure 1. When the door is moved to its closed position, header 1 acts as astop.--

My invention particularly relates to the means for mounting a door or closure member for closing and opening an aperture. These means, ine dicated generally at D in the drawings, includes the novel pivot or journal means and supporting arm structure associated therewith, as hereinafter fully described.

The door 3 is pivoted about horizontaljournal axis means 6 provided at each side of the door. These means are duplicated and for simplicity only one is illustrated and described, it being understood that a complement of the same is provided at the opposite side or edge of the door (not shown).

arms 11, the major portions I8 of which extend in obtuse angular relationship. The bracket arms I! are preferably made of angle iron and are bent so that 'their leg portions or ends 19 at the plate H extend parallel. The outer ends of portions -l8 ofarms I! extend to the door 3 and are adjustablyconnected thereto by means of arm attaching brackets 20. Each bracket 20 also includes an arm 24 extending angularly with respect to arm 2| and provided with an opening 25 and, an arcuate slot 21. An anchor bolt 26 and a locking bolt 28, carried by the outer ends of the arms l8 are secured in opening 25 and slot '21, respectively, to obtain advantages which will be fully explained hereinafter.

The inner parallel ends IQ of the arms I! are adjustably mounted on'the main journal plate II by means of an arm mounting bracket 30 preferably U-shaped and secured at its base, or web 32, to plate II by means of bolts 33. The upstanding side walls 34 of U-shaped bracket 30 are provided with pivotal connections, indicated generally at 35, and with an angularly'adjustable connection,indicated generally at 36 for the arms I1. The pivotal connection 35 is for-med by the bolts 31 extending through the walls 34 and arms I1, and the adjustable connection 36 by the bolts 38 extending through the arms I! and the arcuate slots 36' in the walls 34.

In the form of my invention shown in Figures 1-5, the spring counter-balancing means 40 comprises a coil spring 4| secured at one end, as by an eye bolt 42; to the sill or similar base '43 or the building or enclosure. The other end II upon the, sameiside of hub I as .post 44. Slot 7 46 is positioned in plate, H so as to be inclined, as shown in Figure 4 in an upward direction from the hub 1 when the door is in closed position and bolt 45 is secured in adjusted positiontherein by means of lock nuts 41 upon opposite sides of the plate. ,Adjustment of the bolt 45 in slot 46 adjusts the lifting and holding power of the spring 4.! andjvaries theforce which it exerts to lift and maintain the door ,3 in open position. It will be apparent that as the adjusting bolt 45 is movedradially from the hub I, the liftin power of spring "4! is increased as its effective lever arm increases; It will also be apparent that by'moving thebolt 45 upwardly in the slot 46 so as to increase its horizontalv displacement from a vertical plane through thehub 1 with the door in its open position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure' i, the holding power of spring 4| also will be'increa'sed."

As illustrated in Figure 4 the flexible member 3Ijmay' be provided; with a turnbuckle to obtain aminuteadjustment -of thetension of spring M rather than' by=--adding er -removing linksllll': a

hag} screws Eil secure the main supporting: plate orbase-8 to the uprights--4 of the-side wall TB of the building structure;- I

Inthe embodiment shown in- Figures '7 and- 8 I=' have-shownthe device as embodiedin a. unit construction with a modified 'form oi--main journal plate I I for obtaining varying adjustments of the lifting and holding power of springs. The embodimentof Figures-7L and 8 -isi particu.- larl'ydesigned to permit of: variations. Jinn the adjustment of the lifting:- and: holding; power of spring H that is,. in: the door ibalancefi by an unskilled workmanin the: fieldLand; without the use of expensive apparatus.

In the unit construction shown ilLEigl-H'Q 7 the supporting plate or, basexa'xis. elongated and prefer'ably metallic: and extends vertically; the journalmeans- 6 being; secured: thereto as in the first: embodiment. Basel! isr fastenedby bolts 61; to. vertically spacedcrossplatesfill extending; between .st-udding; 4' an held; thereon by means; of'lag; screws; 50 Spring; AI is securedto a suitable anchor, bolt or eye4 2 positionedy at the lower end; of the plate 9!, and as the journal; means 6 and; the bolt 42 are both mounted on plate 9' the adjustment oi thetensionof spring 4+ obviously can be; made atthe factory; This resultsirrarr assembly or unit" which may be securedto the side-walls B of the building with a minimum oi skilled labor. being required.

Turning now tothe. details of the construction shown in Figures 7 and 8, the, left hand portion of themain journal plate I I. isthe. same as shown in Figures 1, 4. and 5. The right. hand portion of plate I I, as shown in Figures '7. and 8, that side to which the counter-balance spring meansis connected,.is providedwith a plurality of apertures E55. Similarly the plate or, strap 5.13. is provided; with a plurality of apertures 68 andbolts 61. passing through spaced apertures 68 formedin plate 65. and apertures 65; in plate II" secure. the plates togethen The spring tension adjusting bolt 4'5" issecured in one'of the apertures so and, as the apertures 68. are spaced over a greater distance than thelength of the slot. fill; of, the: first embodiment, it follows that awid'er, range of adjustment. can be obtainedby adjusting bolt 35, than, can. be obtained by adjustment of the bolt" 45 in the slot 45 shown in Figures 1, 4 and The apertures 68' in plate 66* may be so spaced that the distance between three apertures 68 equals the vertical distance, as shown in Figure 7, between a pair of apertures 55; Accordingly, a multiplicity of adjustments may be obtained to positionv properly the adjusting bolt- 45 relative to the hub by-positioning the bolt 45' in plate 66= and by positioning plate lit-relative to plate II.

Referring again to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, it is apparent that an overhead door may be mountedto close the opening in'an enclosure and the mounting means for the door secured to the enclosure side walls with a minimum' requirement of skilled labori having'been previously adjusted so as to be operable In this respect, when using the construction shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the; arm attaching brackets 20 are suitably-secured to the door and the arms I'I connected thereto and a-lso to-the-arm supporting bracket" 30'."- The' bolts-2d and 31! as well as the pivotal-bolts 26 and are are initially inaslightlyloosened-condition so-that'uporr positioning thesupportihg means or plate a & adja cent to the upright 49 the majorportions= I 8 -of arms I1 may be adjusted to the properangular inclination betweenthe=door and the mainjournai plate It, asshown in Figures 5- and 6; in orderto locate properly the journal means: I5 relative -to tlie side wallsB. when this-has been done the journal memben I! may: be removed from the hubl and the supporting'hase: 9tsecur-ed to the uprights by means of thelag screws 50; Thereafter the journal member l z is again mounted on the hub-"I and-the houses; 28; 3 and 38 securely tightenedi The tension of. springrdl. may: then be: properly adjusted to give: the appropriate lifting, and holding power to: the. device tobal'ance the door correctly: It it islpnefierred however; thev positionot the; plate- 9 on. the: up, rights be determinedlby measurement, the plate secured, and then the journal member I2 mounted on its hub- I2 Referring again to the. embodimentof the-in.- vention' shown. inrFiguresj 7. and: 3; .inithe, unit? type of mounting: to mount. the doorathe arms I1 and thecjournal means. 6; aresecuredto the door and. the door. placed; position. The unit construction:.includingthe: journal 6 is then moved. to, position. the; cnossiplates; 6! adjacent. the uprights. 4'. to, whichthey: are; secured. by lag screws 5.0!; The boltsiattthe ends of arm III- are then tightened. tolholdi thep rtstin adjusted: position. Adjustment ot'the: tension of the counter-balance sprin'gwi'lhbe;apparent;

From, the foregoing, it, is; believed: to; be. clear tov those skilled. in the; arttha'ir. if desireds the; type of main. journal, plate H! and; its associated adjustable plate. 66i'as showmihsEigures; i.- and; 8 may. be. substituted for the. main; journal: plate I;I shown in. Figures. .1; 4; and:.5-, .on vice. versa, without departing; from the spiriteot myiinvene tion..

A feature of myinvention is in the; provision of a mounting. meanszior aiswi-yeli type door in which. the door proper in adiustablwseoured; by arms H to one end. 01513118 main; journal; plate II which. in.- turn. isjournalbdaihtermediate: its ends, counter-balance.v means.- beingz connected to the other end; of J'numaliplate- II and extending downwardly-:therefronrto apoint substantially vertically:belbvWthepivot-or journal of plate II. The deyicetmayiheias.a.unit construction or mount-ediona posh. (not'shown) without requiring additional; bracesaor built-up mounting means. The. constnuctinniieliminates likelihood.- ot danger to: life, limb; and property in the event the counter-balance-.means should break; It will be noted; that Izhaue provided in a door structure aclosuremembenA, fromwhich. a pair of bracket arms Ii'I' GXtQlIdS-"iIIWaEd'IY and laterally adj acent: eachi side. thereof. 7 Each pair of armszl 'l defin'es asubstantiallym-shaped:struce ture, the inner extremities; In ofiwhich. are adjustably' connected bythearnrsunportihg bracket 30 to. the main. journal: platerktu 'hheglatter is journalledinter-mediate itsiendsatefhubjl whereby the closure member bezrotatedi aboutathorizontal axis through t'he hubfksmasto'beemovable between vertical and horizontal positi'ons, I have provided =counter-balancing:means fifi anchoredat oneend to a fixed support such aa-the; eye bolts 4 2 or I 2' and 'secured at -itsothen-end -to the-j ournalplate inrear- 015" the horizontali axis-.ofi the closure member; that is; to: a point on the: main journal plate- I I oppositethat/"from which. the

arms i1 extend. The counter-balancing means is preferably arranged largely below the horizontal axis when the door is in its closing position and is below that axis when the door is in open position.

The closure supporting means constructed in accordance with the present invention has certain desirable operating characteristics which are possibly evidenced most clearly in Figure 9 in which the relative effective lever arms available to the tension spring 4| are indicated with the door in a vertical and horizontal positions. With the door A positioned vertically, the stud 45 is positioned as shown at the point 45v and is spaced a horizontal distance Dv from the hub 6. Coil spring 4| is fixedly connected at its lower end at 42 and exerts a lifting force upon the door A through its effective lever arm Lv comprising a normal to the line connecting points 45v and 42. Upon the operator lifting the door slightly the stud 45 moves in a circle about hub 6 to point 45m and the distance Dv increases, as shown in the drawing to Dm, the corresponding lever arm Inn for the spring 45 then being greater than Lv. During this initial movement, therefore, the lifting power of the spring increases as the door opens. After a short arcuate movement, however, the lever arm for the spring decreases until finally, with the door in its horizontal open position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 9, and with stud 45 positioned at point 45s, the minimum lever arm Lh is reached and is smaller than the preceding lever arms available to the spring. The distances Dv represent the distance the stud 45 is spaced horizontally from the hub 6 while the distance D11 represents its vertical displacement relative to a horizontal line through the hub, the directions being those applicable with the door closed. It is to be noted that distance Dv controls primarily the lever arms Lv, and so the initial lifting force exerted by the spring, while the distance Dh determines primarily the final lever arm Ln and so the sustaining force exerted by the spring with the door in its horizontal position. Clearly the door lifting force exerted through the lever arms Lv will be much greater than the door sustaining force exerted through the lever arm L11.

Referring now to Figures 10 and 11 in particular the range of possible positions for the stud 45' with the door in the vertical position and in the horizontal position is illustrated diagramatically. The stud 45 is adapted to be shifted on plate 66 and the plate is itself adapted to be shifted vertically and horizontally on journal plate H thereby'giving a multiplicity of possible positions for the stud 45' with the door in the vertical or closed position. This is clearly shown in Figures 10 and 11 in which stud 45 is adapted to occupy any of the positions 45v indicated by open circles. The closed circles are positions used by the bolts 61. As stud 45 is shifted outwardly from hub 6, thereby increasing the distance Dv, the effective lever arm Lv is increased, resulting in an increase in the initial lifting force exerted by the spring 4| upon the door A. As the stud 45' is moved up or down relative to the horizontal axis through the hub 6, with the door vertical as shown in Figure 10, the distance Dh is varied. Distance Dh, as stated, gives primary control to the lever arm Lh through which the spring 4| acts with the door in the vertical position, as is shown most clearly in Figure 11. It is true that adjustment of the stud 45' horizontally in Figure 10 will have an effect upon the lever arm Ln in Figure 11, but the efiectiveness of such an adjustment is relatively small as compared to the effect of the adjustment vertically by which the distance D11 is varied. Accordingly, it is accurate in the practical sense to say that the adjustment of the distance Dv controls the door lifting force of the spring 4! with the door in the vertical position while the adjustment of the distance D11 controls the door-sustaining force of the spring with the door in the horizontal position.

It is to be understood, of course, that while the form of my invention illustrated and described herein is now deemed to be the preferred form thereof, I do not mean to limit myself to that particular form, but intend to include all equivalents thereof as defined by the appended claims,

I claim:

1. Closure member supporting means, including a base member provided with a hub; a plate journaled intermediate its ends on said hub; door supporting arms adjustably connected to one end of said plate; the other end of said plate being provided with an anchor post and an adjustable stud; and a counterbalance means for said closure member having one end connected to said base member, and its other end extended over said adjustable stud and secured to said anchor post.

2. Means for pivotally supporting a closure member including a hub; a plate journaled to said hub intermediate its ends; door supporting arms connected to said plate on one side of said hub, and said plate being provided on the other side of said hub with an inclined slot; counter-- balancing means connected to said plate; and a stud adjustable in said slot and cooperative with said counter-balancing means to vary the tension thereof.

3. Means for pivotally supporting a closure member including a hub; a plate journaled to said hub intermediate its ends; door supporting arms connected to said plate on one side of said hub, and said plate being provided on the other side of said hub with a plurality of holes; an upstanding plate having a plurality of holes, a pair of which are adapted to coincide with a pair of holes in said journal plate, means extending through said holes to secure said plates together in adjusted position; a stud on said upstanding plate, an anchor post on said journal plate; and

counter-balance means connected to said anchor post and extended over said stud.

4. Means for pivotally supporting a closure member including a hub; a plate journaled to said hub intermediate its ends; door supporting arms connected to said plate on one side of said hub, and said plate being provided on the other side of said hub with an anchor post positioned in a substantially horizontal plane from the axis of said hub when said closure member is in a vertical position; counter-balance means having one end connected to a fixed support and its other'end connected to said post; a stud member .cooperating with said counter-balance means;

and means whereby said stud member may be secured to said plate at predetermined points relative to horizontal and vertical axes passing through the hub.

5.- Means for pivotally supporting a closure member including a hub; a plate journaled to said hub intermediate its ends; door supporting arms connected to said plate on one side of said hub, and said plate being provided on the other REFERENCES CITED i of said hub with an inclined slot; resilient The following references are of record in the counter-balancing means connected to said plate me of this patent} on the side opposite that to which the door supportin'g arms are connected; and a. stud adjustl UNH'ED STATES PATENTS able in said slot and cooperative with said coun- Number Name Date ter-balancing means to vary th tension thereof. 1,539,014 Matzen May 26, 1925 2,166,898 Wolf July 18, 1939 WILLIAM WREAD 2,167,569 Graves et a1 July 25, 1939 2,170,295 Ferris Aug. 22, 1939 

